Expert: George A. Card,sfo, M.I - 6/8/2005

Question
Dr. Card,sfo

my name is Laura and I am broadcast journalism graduate student at Emerson College in Boston. I am taking a foreign reporting class and am doing a piece on the Brazilian gay parade that just took place. I need to know a few questions.
1. Do you know if the catholic religion (Brazil has the largest following of catholics) is the most conservative when it comes to homosexuality?
(more than any other religion even with chrisianity?

2.How does it differ in its ideas?

3. Do you know if degree of strictness or conservativeness differs from ethnicity . (like is brazil more strict than say Puerto Rico?

Any other relevant information that I am missing or not asking when it comes to that nation and the issue of homosexuality. I know that there are no civil unions allowed right now, but there are many "out" homosexuals and bisexuals in Brazil from my research.
Thank you for your time
Laura  

Answer

                           Peace
Dear Laura,

First thanks for your question.

Second: Catholicism is religious system not a political system of thought. Conservativeness is not a proper theological term when it comes to doctrine position within Catholicism. Liberalism is a proper term however. It off-shoot heresay stemming from Modernism. Its claims to apply the Gospel to the political society, when in reality it more of "spiritualized" form of Marxism.

Here what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (approved by John Paul 2) has to say on homosexuality:

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.




2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.

The numbers before each is the paragraph number, use them if want see context better. The above doctrinal not political.To disgree would be heresay, and not liberal or conservative.


   I hope this has been some help.
             george

Ps. you started with dr. card, if you meant doctor-thank you but I dont have a collage education.